The First Last Time
by Secret-Spyro-x
Summary: One-shot of Klaus and Hayley having a moment in the finale. Fluff.


Nobody had prepared me for motherhood. Nobody had told me what it would be like. None of us saw this coming.

"I do not agree with this Klaus!" Elijah roared.

"Elijah, please," I whispered. "The baby's sleeping."

Klaus stopped pacing the floor off and appeared suddenly at my side. "Look at her, brother. She's got a death sentence on her head. There's no other choice."

"What if someone finds out what we've done?" Elijah demanded. "Nobody can protect her better than us. She cannot be protected by humans!"

"Her cover needs to be watertight." Klaus said quietly, reaching out an unsteady finger to stroke our baby's hair. "That's exactly why they'd never find her with them."

"I do not like this." Elijah snarled. "I refuse to have my niece living with people who cannot protect her."

"And what of me, brother?" Klaus demanded, shooting over to Elijah. "Do you think _I _like this?"

I heard the high note in his voice. I cradled my baby closer, dropping my head to hers. My dark hair formed a curtain around us. I watched her little red lips part and close repeatedly, breathing steadily. Under my hair, we were almost anywhere else. I let her fresh, sweet breath trickle onto my face. I would remember this. I would never forget this sweet smell. I couldn't.

"Do you think I can bear this?" Klaus screamed, choking on his last words.

I looked up in time to see Klaus lunging for Elijah. He was trying to punch him—but his body was shaking too much. Elijah caught hold of Klaus's flailing wrists and before I could blink, Klaus's cries were tearing through the room. His body convulsed in his brother's arms.

The baby's breathing suddenly hitched. My gaze shot to her face. She had woken up.

Her lids pulled back a little to reveal her dark blue irises. Simultaneously tears fell from my eyes. I would not be there to watch her wake up every single day. I would not get to see her change—my own baby—

"Hayley! Hayley!"

I felt Klaus and Elijah's hands on me. I knew I was crying but I wouldn't let them take her from my arms. Not when we had such little time left together.

"Hayley, we do not have to do this." Elijah said soothingly, kneeling by my side. "Just say the word. We'll stop."

I shook my head violently, blinking away the tears. "There's no other way." I sobbed. "I-if s-she s-stays…"

"Elijah, could you give us a moment please." Klaus said, putting his cold hand on my shoulder.

I felt Elijah's stare; then a sigh and he was gone in a blur. The door snapped close behind him.

Klaus reached out a hand to stroke the baby's face. She responded to his touch, looking up at him innocently.

"She doesn't deserve this," Klaus murmured.

I looked up at him. In all the time I'd known him, I'd never seen _that _look in his face. It was as if a stranger had taken over him. Sure, he still looked the same. He still had the same golden, dishevelled hair; still had the same fair stubble on his pale face. He still had those devilish red lips and those icy eyes that weren't blue or green but somewhere in between. But he was different. There was something vulnerable in him now. He looked human.

"What is it?" Klaus asked, looking at me.

"I never imagined it'd be like this." I croaked.

Klaus's eyes watered. He dropped his head. "This is all my fault. I'm sorry."

I got up from the rocking chair. "I think her nappy needs changing." I lied.

"May I help you?" Klaus asked, following me into the baby's room. "It's the only time…"

He didn't need to finish his sentence for me to know. My heart ached. "Okay."

I put her down in her cradle and unwrapped the pink blanket from around her. Her tiny body came free: arms and legs kicking out.

"She's so small." Klaus marvelled, touching her hand. She hooked her tiny fingers around his index. "So beautiful." His voice trembled. "I'm so sorry, my little love."

I couldn't keep it in any longer. One minute I was helping Klaus put her back into her clothes, the next I was on the floor shaking with tears.

"Hayley, please." Klaus pulled me back up but my legs were too weak. I couldn't bear it—I couldn't bear any of this—

"Shh, it's okay, I've got you." Klaus whispered, crushing me to his chest.

"No! No! No!" I screamed, thrashing in his arms. "This can't—I can't—"

"Hayley, Hayley—"

"We only just got her!" I cried, collapsing against him. "We only just—"

"I know," Klaus whispered, "I know."

We stayed like that for a while. I sobbed against his hard chest, holding on to him for dear life. Klaus's grip around me was tight; safe. But we couldn't do this for her.

"When she cries at night," I sobbed, "we can't be there for her. She can't c-c—come running to us w-w-when someone's mean to her at school, w-when she's said her first word- her first step- her first everything—"

"Please, don't do this." Klaus begged, pulling my face to his. "Hayley, look at me. Look at me!"

I blinked past the tears and stared into his watery eyes.

"We _will _bring her back." He vowed, putting his cold forehead against mine. "I swear to you. _Our daughter will return._ I promise you. Okay? Okay?"

I felt oath in his words and nodded.

Klaus came closer, his hot breath fanning onto my face. "She will come back to us." He whispered against my lips. And then he kissed me lightly, sealing the promise.

I buried my face against his chest and we wrapped around each other, our faces turned towards our beautiful daughter. She was watching us, like we were the only things in the room. She looked so content.

"Okay," I said, breaking out of Klaus's embrace. I wiped at my face. "Let's do this."


End file.
